Stan Bowles has died at the age of 75. A player that shined in the seventies. Having a life in the professional game of football that was greatly described in the book, The Mavericks. Players in this category, such as Stan Bowles, were seen as great entertainers and having a happy go lucky lifestyle.
Bowles had his best years in the game from the time he signed for Queens Park Rangers. He was seen as the replacement for Rodney Marsh, paying £110 000 to Carlisle for his services. This was back in 1972. Bowles and QPR became an instant hit, getting promoted to the highest level in 1972/73.
Gerry Francis, Ian Gillard, Dave Clement, Dave Thomas and Stan Bowles, all crawled fast up and into the England frame, while at Loftus Road.
Stan Bowles once described former Leicester player and caretaker and assisting manager Ian McFarlane as the most influential on his career, bringing his football life back on track while at Carlisle. Stan Bowles spent one year at Brunton Park, as The Cumbrians took him back to a level of football he could relate to, being at Bury and Crewe, after leaving Man City at a young age.
Bowles made his debut for England in 1974, against Portugal, with David Nish in the same line up. Frank Worthington made his debut for England in 1974 vs. Northern Ireland, coming on for Stan Bowles. Keith Weller, Peter Shilton and David Nish also in the side, Weller scoring the 1-0 winning goal. Nish was not a Leicester player at the time, being at Derby County, when capped for England.
Stan Bowles made his England debut under Sir Alf Ramsey and then making the team also under Joe Mercer, once the manager at Man City that released him and gave him away, as the game vs. N Ireland again comes to mind. Stan Bowles told in an interview, that being subbed, made him annoyed and he then walked out and was not back in the England set up before Don Revie brought him back in 1976 for a game vs. Italy (0-2), later in 1977 making his last and fifth cap vs. Holland, in another 2-0 defeat.
Stan Bowles played at QPR together with former Leicester players Frank McLintock, Eddie Kelly and David Webb. He later played at Brentford with former Leicester defender Pat Kruse. Jimmy Bloomfield signed Stan Bowles to Leyton Orient in 1980, paying Nottingham Forest £90.000 for his services. Leyton Orient also had, Leicester manager to be, Peter Taylor, in their squad at the time. Later Bowles was re united with Frank McLintock at Brentford, then with Frank as his manager.
Great and fond memories of Stan Bowles, in a Leicester City perspective, he was one of a kind, as he also played at Filbert Street.
RIP Stan Bowles
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